CreaseAndAssist Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Wild vs. Sabres Game Preview Minnesota Wild (26-22-4) 56pts 4th in the Central 2.79 Goals For Per Game (26th in the NHL) 2.85 Goals Against Per Game (10th in the NHL) 21.4% Power Play (11th in the NHL) 83.5% Penalty Kill (6th in the NHL) Top 5 Scorers: 1. #11 Zach Parise ~ 20G 25A = 45pts 2. #64 Mikael Granlund ~ 12G 31A = 43pts 3. #12 Eric Staal ~ 17G 20A = 37pts 4. #20 Ryan Suter ~ 6G 28A = 34pts 5. #46 Jared Spurgeon ~ 8G 22A = 30pts Top 3 PIM’s: 1. #36 Nick Seeler ~ 41 PIM’s 2. #29 Greg Pateryn ~ 33 PIM’s 3. #17 Marcus Foligno ~ 33 PIM’s Top Goaltenders: 1. #40 Devan Dubnyk (20-17-3) 2.55GAA .914%SP 1SO 2. #32 Alex Stalock (6-5-1) 3.00GAA .892%SP Vs. Buffalo Sabres (25-20-6) 56pts 5th in the Atlantic 2.84 Goals For Per Game (23rd in the NHL) 3.04 Goals Against Per Game (18th in the NHL) 17% Power Play (21st in the NHL) 82.1% Penalty Kill (8th in the NHL) Top 5 Scorers: 1. #9 Jack Eichel ~ 17G 37A = 54pts 2. #53 Jeff Skinner ~ 31G 16A = 47pts 3. #23 Sam Reinhart ~ 12G 33A = 45pts 4. #55 Rasmus Ristolainen ~ 5G 27A = 32pts 5. #26 Rasmus Dahlin ~ 5G 23A = 28pts Top 3 PIM’s: 1. #4 Zach Bogosian ~ 42 PIM’s 2. #19 Jake McCabe ~ 31 PIM’s 3. #82 Nathan Beaulieu ~ 30 PIM’s Top Goaltenders: 1. #40 Carter Hutton (15-15-3) 2.86GAA .909%SP 2. #35 Linus Ullmark (10-5-3) 2.89GAA .914%SP 2SO I wrote up the game preview, MNSOTA will be on the post-gamer. Similar place in the standings but Buffalo has a go-to scorer that the Wild do not. It will be interesting to see how having Kunin and Rau in the lineup help this team pick up the pace. Dallas is going on a bit of a run and is now 4pts ahead of the Wild. Minnesota needs to turn it around and quick. Otherwise, let the firesale begin. Enjoy and discuss... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Math Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Typical banana skin game. Buffalo isn't going anywhere since their 10-game winning streak and will surely miss the postseason despite high hopes last year. But underestimating them like it's often the case with the Wild will cost us the win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClusterChuck Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Hopefully Kunin shows some enthusiasm to be back and with more practice with the newer guys maybe we can avoid the lower team trap. (cue Admiral Ackbar) We'll need to keep pace with Dallas since we play them 2 more times and how fitting one of those is the last game of the season. Might be a good idea to be 4 pts Ahead than behind for those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreaseAndAssist Posted February 5, 2019 Author Share Posted February 5, 2019 I don't see this game as a trap game. Its only a trap if the Wild feel this game is going to be cakewalk and I don't see why anyone on this club should feel we'll have too many of those in the next two months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyOday Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Wild come out crazy fast and dominate the game front to back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Interestingly, two teams with similar problems in the sense that they play the higher rated teams tough, but somehow, lose, or at least make a win tougher to come by, against a lesser team. Buffalo has been scuffling some the last several weeks...ever since they lost their 10-game win streak, and while they are a team on the rise with some very nice players, there is still a LOT they need to learn about being a winning team night in, night out. On paper, the Sabres may have some more "elite" type players on their squads, but, if the players on Minnesota were playing to their capabilities, I think the Wild would have the better depth, more experience, and MAYBE the better goaltender ("good" Dubnyk is about as good as anyone, although Linus Ullmark in goal tonight for the Sabres has played some pretty nice games...sandwiched in with some definite clunkers). Road game for Minnesota gives the Sabres the match up edge, or at least, the last change, and I do believe the Wild should be the better possession team based on FOW, so I think they should try playing to that strength by winning most of the face offs then using LESS dump n chase and carry the puck in more. I've watched enough Buffalo games this season to know that their defense, particularly the highly touted Ristolainen and Dahlin CAN be pressured into mistakes. Constant forechecking and shooting from various points on the ice relentlessly may do the trick. Also, some of their players, again, Ristolainen and Zach Bogosian come to mind right away, tend to be overly aggressive at times....and the Wild can possibly use that to draw penalties and give themselves a shot on the man advantage. For this game, I believe Jeff Skinner is the guy Minnesota really needs to watch...even a bit more so than Eichel at this stage, although, they often play on the same line, so that poison could come as a double dose. Go Wild GO! Two big points on the line in Buffalo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllaZilla Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 1 hour ago, CreaseAndAssist said: I don't see this game as a trap game. Its only a trap if the Wild feel this game is going to be cakewalk and I don't see why anyone on this club should feel we'll have too many of those in the next two months. I think you underestimate the Wild's ability to underestimate their opponents... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icechipper Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Fehr's got some speed on his wings. Projected linechart: 11 Parise 9 Koivu 3 Coyle 16 Zucker 12 Staal 64 Granlund 18 Greenway 49 Rask 17 Foligno 37 Rau 21 Fehr 19 Kunin 20 Suter 46 Spurgeon 25 Brodin 29 Pateryn 2 Bitetto 77 Hunt 40 Doobie 32 Stalock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey-78 Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 2 hours ago, TonyOday said: Wild come out crazy fast and dominate the game front to back. Thanks Tony, you made me spill my coffee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbgarnett Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 Minnesota Wild at Buffalo Sabres – 7:00 EST REFEREES Kevin Pollock #33 Jake Brenk #26 Games 18-19 47 49 Career Games 1275 162 First NHL Game 3/28/00 11/12/15 Birthplace Kincardine, ON Detroit Lakes, MN Goals/Gm 5.6 (34) 6.3 (10) PP/Gm 2.8 (35) 2.9 (27) Penl/Gm 3.4 (31) 3.5 (29) PIM/Gm 7.8 (32) 7.6 (34) % of Penl on Home 46.0% (35) 47.0% (24) More Penl on Rd % 18.0% (2) 12.0% (10) Home Win % 56.0% (13) 45.0% (34) Home Rec. 24-19 20-24 OT/SO Games 21.0% (21) 27.0% (7) Calls by Period 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd 2018-19 29% 37% 34% 28% 42% 30% Team Records 18-19 17-18 16-17 18-19 17-18 16-17 MIN 1-1 2-2 3-3 1-1 3-1 2-0 BUF 2-2 2-3 1-5 1-1 1-3 1-0 LINESMEN Devin Berg #87 Steve Miller #89 Games 18-19 48 46 Career Games 248 1244 First NHL Game 10/15/15 10/11/00 Birthplace Kitchener, ON Stratford, ON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbgarnett Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 well Fack, I guess not having Fehr really made a difference on that PK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megawild Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 blech Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 Poor puck control by the Minnesota Wild to start this game. On the PK, they actually were doing a good job of disrupting passes with their stick work, however, while they DID disrupt, they still didn't finish their plays and the end result was the puck stayed in the offensive zone. Pucks needed to be cleared, and cleared cleanly...again, puck control. And also, Wild players are looking rather "jumpy" whenever they do get ahold of the puck in their own end....almost as if they feel they need to rush things.....which is having the opposite effect of giving the puck back to the Sabres due to poor decisions on exit strategies. Puck control. If Minnesota can collect themselves and at least be the boss of the puck a bit more, things can change in their favor. Right now, Buffalo is loving this low pressure, indecisive and poor passing Minnesota attack and defense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 Some sustained pressure just a bit ago by the Wild. And you can see how the Sabre players were starting to run around their own zone a bit. Min needs to do more of that. Play on the Sabre side of the ice a bit...even if they don't score...put a bit of worry into Buffalo's defenders...they ARE susceptible to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megawild Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 2 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said: Right now, Buffalo is loving this low pressure, indecisive and poor passing Minnesota attack and defense. I think any team would! Wake up kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbgarnett Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 Geez our passes are horrible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 1 minute ago, bbgarnett said: Geez our passes are horrible Yes....that is glaringly obvious to start this game. Again, Wild just look "jumpy" for lack of a better term... it is causing poor exiting out of their zone, poor movement through the neutral zone, and of course, like you said...HORRIBLE passing. They need to settle down and realize that while the Sabres have good players, they suffer from many of the same problems many young teams do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbgarnett Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 wow Suter that's probably the worst decision you could have made there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 Some more play in the Sabres end just now. Not bad...but not enough urgency to keep Buffalo pinned in there. Oh, and very nice blocked shot by Rasmus Dahlin. Not very often "superstar" young blueliners do workmanlike stuff like that.....Buf fans have to love seeing that from him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megawild Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 2 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said: Sabres have good players, they suffer from many of the same problems many young teams do Shouldn't our wily veterans help lead the team by example and also share this knowledge? And yeah that was pathetic 20. Mikko now hurt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megawild Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 OMG I thought Foligno had it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbgarnett Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 1 minute ago, Megawild said: Mikko now hurt? It's probably for the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 1 minute ago, Megawild said: Shouldn't our wily veterans help lead the team by example and also share this knowledge? And yeah that was pathetic 20. Mikko now hurt? Yep. Our wily veterans should do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbgarnett Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 Damn Greenway that's some great moves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megawild Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 1 minute ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said: Yep. Our wily veterans should do that. I should have added a roll eyes to that post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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